Display box for watches, etc.



Jan. 6, 1959 A. RIBOTHAM 2,867,353

DISPLAY BOX FOR WATCHES, ETC

Filed April 4, 1956 IN VEN TOR. Aer/rue, 1e. Jar/M \BY Q M 4 4rraeMszsUnited States Patent DISPLAY BOX FOR WATCHES, ETC.

Arthur R. Botham, New York, N. Y., assignor to Arrow ManufacturingCompany, Incorporated, West' New York, N. .L, a corporation of NewJersey Application April 4, 1956, Serial No. 576,175

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-82) This invention relates to a novel type of displaybox particularly suited for displaying watches and similar articles inilluminated windows and show cases.

A dark plush or a satin background material is very effective inemphasizing the desirable luster of watch cases and similar metalliccases. It is ordinary practice therefore to line the base and covers ofsuch casesand boxes with velvet, plush or satin materials. Although suchmaterials provide a desirable contrast by daylight illumination, some ofthe effects are lost by artificial illumination because when the lid ofthe case is limited in movement so as to stand up and provide abackground for the contents of the box the lid also casts a shadow onsaid contents.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a new type of casewhich is adapted to produce new and unusual lighting effects on thecontents of the case when the lid is opened.

The objects of the invention are attained by providing the case with alid having two sections, a front section which is made of transparentmaterial and is not lined, and a back section which is opaque. The backsection of the lid and the inside of the bottom section of the lid maybe lined .with the ordinary fabric materials such as plush or satininternally supported by a stiffening member made of cardboard or plasticsheet material, for example. Additional unusual effects are obtained byinterrupting one or both of the smooth surfaces of'the transparent frontsurface of the lid by'a series of intaglio or relief lines orirregularities.

When the lid of a box or case made according to the invention is openedto display the article or articles therein, the light passes through thetransparent front portion of the lid onto the article or articles in thetray portion or base thereof. At the same time the opaque portion of thelid together with the lining material of the lid provide a desirablebackground. When lines or irregularities are engraved or formed on thetransparent section the light is dispersed or diverted in differentdirections producing an added desirable lighting effect on variousportions of the lining and contents of the case.

The invention both as to its organization and its method of operationtogether with additional objects and advantages thereof will best beunderstood from the following description of a specific embodimentthereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. l is a perspective of a watch case made according to the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the case of Fig. 1 in open position with awatch therein and as it may be illuminated by an overhead light.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the case of Fig. 1 in closedposition.

"ice

Fig. 4 is a detail cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Although a watch case or box is employed as an illustration of theinvention, it will be understood that the same principle applies to theconstruction of similar boxes, either smaller or larger in size, such asboxes for rings, bracelets, necklaces, charms, collars, etc.

The watch box 10 shown comprises a base or bottom section 11 and a lid12. The base 11 is hinged to the lid 12 by a suitable hinging device 13which forms no part of the invention and is not shown in detail. Thebottom 11 may be fitted with a lining means 14 adapted to hold a watchas shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This lining means 14, for example, maycomprise an inner stifi member 15 of cardboard or plastic and a fabriccovering 16 made of attractive background material. In the device shownthe lining means is provided with a projecting portion adaptedto hold awatch in elevated position but neither is this structure, per se, a partof the present invention. A flange or shelf 18 is formed at the front ofthe base 11 which member 18 may include a trade name or other insignia.

The lid 12 has at least two sections, the rear opaque section 21, andthe front transparent section 22. The front edge of the transparentsection 22 fits closely on the shelf or panel 18 of the base when thelid 12 is closed. The lid 12 includes a lining 24, comprising an innerstiff member 25 and an outer decorative fabric 26 but this lining 24covers only the opaque portion 21 of the lid.

T he transparent portion 22 may include various symbols, decorations,lines, etc. molded therein in relief or in intaglio. In the case shownthe circular central portion 27 is more or less lens shaped butdesirably also includes some design symbol molded therein, and theremaining portions of 'the transparent section 22 contain longitudinalprojections 28 which tend to redirect or disperse the rays of lightpassing therethrough towards the sides of the box. Various linearprojections or indentations may be formed in the'transparent section 22which prevent one from seeing a clear image of an object back of the boxwhen the lid is opened but nevertheless pass and concentrate lightraysto the. interior and contents of the box. The effect obtained isillustrated by the light means 30 impinging on the opened box 10containing a watch.

The opaque portions of the box may be formed of various materials suchas wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, resin bonded fibers and woodmaterials, etc. The transparent portion may be formed of transparent ortranslucent materials, such as polystyrene, methyl methacrylatepolymers, similar acrylic type polymers, cellulose acetate, celluloseacetate butyrate, glass, etc. A very satisfactory procedure is to formall of the parts of plastic materials. The lid may be formed by the twoslot mold: ing process employing different compositions for the opaqueand transparent sections or the parts 21 and 22 may be formed separatelyand thereafter united.

The features and principles underlying the invention described above inconnection with specific exemplifications will suggest to those skilledin the art many other modifications thereof. It is accordingly desiredthat the appended claims shall not be limited to any specific feature ordetails thereof.

I claim:

1. In a display box of the type having a base portion adapted to beclosed by a lid pivotally hinged to the rear side of said base portion,the improved construction comprising a lid comprising twoplasticcompositions having difierent transparencies, said lid having an insideconcave and an outside convex surface, the front curved portion of saidlid being made of transparent plastic material of self-supportingthickness, the rear portion of said lid being formed of opaque plasticmaterial, whereby said lid may be opened so that the base area thereofis preferentially illuminated from above by light passing through saidtransparent portion while the opaque portions thereof provides abackground for thegcontents of 10 2,051,047

the opened box.

2. The device as claimed in claim ,1 comprising lining means coveringthe ,insidesurface of .the'base portion, said lining .means vextendinginto thelid and ,covering the inside surface of theopagueregion ofsaidlid.

3, The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transparent portion ofthe ,lid comprises alternate thick 4; and thin portions extending fromat least one surface thereof to difiract portions of the light passingtherethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS508,305 Grifiith Nov. 7, 1893 883,432 Traeger Mar. 31, 1908 HothersallAug. 18, 1936 2,140,158 Knapp Dec. 13, 1938 2,290,721 Weill July 21,1942 1 M y r May 1945 2,470,270 Srofe May 17, 1949 2,477,902 -Scandore 2Aug. 2,1949 2,517,758 Allen Aug'."8, 1950

